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County Announces Rat Eradication Success

County officials said the Rat Attack program has yielded positive results, and additional neighborhoods have been targeted for rodent eradication efforts.

 

The results of a rat eradication effort in targeted Baltimore County neighborhoods are in, and county officials are calling the Rat Attack program a success.

"With continuing education and enforcement, we have achieved quantifiable results and positive feedback from treated communities, where residents are reporting a dramatic decline in rodent sightings," County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a news release. "People increasingly realize that human behavior is the biggest variable in successfully eliminating this health hazard from our neighborhoods and they are stepping up to make important changes like using rodent-resistant trash cans, cleaning up pet waste and addressing potential burrowing locations."

Since April 2012, the Rat Attack program has treated 2,100 homes in neighborhoods with known rat infestations based on complaints and inspection reports, according to the release. The cost of the program is $750,000 for a five-year period, with $8 being spent on each residential property.

The Riverview community in Lansdowne and St. Helena in Dundalk will be next neighborhoods scheduled for treatment starting on the weeks of Feb. 11 and Feb. 25, respectively. The eradication process involves licensed professionals injecting approved powdered rodenticide into identified rodent burrows.

The county is also conducting trash sweeps to eliminate nutrition sources for rodents in the treated areas, the release states.

Rat Infestation Facts From the County

A single breeding pair of rats can, under ideal circumstances, produce as many as 80 offspring in one year. The life expectancy of a Norway Rat in the wild is approximately one year. The size of a colony or infestation is directly proportionate to the available food supply. 

Beyond extermination practices, the industry-accepted solution to rodent control is for residents to eliminate food sources and burrowing opportunities. Residents are advised to:

  • handle and store their trash properly by using and maintaining rodent resistant trash containers
  • raise sheds and firewood piles off the ground
  • remove junk and debris piles
  • regularly pick up and properly dispose of pet waste
  • clean up pet food and birdseed

According to the county, the following neighborhoods have been treated to date, but officials plan to send exterminators back to ensure positive results. 

First Councilmanic District

August 2012:  Huntsmoor

January 2013:  Arbour Manor

 

Fifth Councilmanic District

August 2012:  Ridgeleigh, Hawthorne, Hillendale

October 2012:  Knettishall, Loch Raven Village

January 2013:  Towson Park and Towson Manor Village

 

Sixth Councilmanic District

August 2012:  Ballard Gardens, Holland Hills

December 2012:  Middlesex

 

Seventh Councilmanic District

April 2012:  West Inverness, Stanbrook, Eastfield, and Colgate. 

May 2012:  Eastwood

June 2102:  Berkshire

July 2012:  Eastfield, Westfield, Bear Creek, North Point Village, and Norwood/Holabird

September 2012:  Sollers Point and Gray Manor

October 2012:  Charlesmont, Turner Station and Old Dundalk

November 2012:  Logan Village

Related Topics: Baltimore County Rat Attack and Baltimore County Rat Eradication

JDStuts

3:50 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

Interestingly the Fifth Councilmanic District is represented by a weasel.

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Bart

9:54 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013

I have said this several times: it is time for "JD Stuts" to be banned. The name-calling goes beyond any sense of good taste or civil discussion. Stuts, the real weasel is the person who sits behind a computer and insults a good Councilman under a phony name.
You are the definition of a troll.

Brian Lash

3:54 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

Paradice neighborhood in Catonsville PLEASE

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Bill N

5:45 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

I'm in between Ridgeleigh and Hillendale. Not sure if they've done my neighborhood. I went online and bought three bait stations and placed them around my house and garage, but am still seeing rats.

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David Klaas

6:00 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

good job thanks. Know inforce the laws on trash!!!!

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sharon

6:54 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

Eastieild still has a major problem.

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Runymede

8:05 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

I have always had the impression that Dundalk was the only community with a rat infestation problem. Thanks to the local media's infatuation with Dundalk to continually mock this community's people. Why hasn't the media report the rat infestation problem in the communities of Fells Point, Harbor East and else where. I guess the news media will not report the infestation problem in Fells Point and Harbor east so as not to decrease the real estate value. And this is no sour grapes.

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Sean Tully

9:07 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

County inconsistant enforcement of sanitation laws vs. too many dummies = rats win.

Remember, any dummy can attract rats.

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VWK

9:27 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

If people in the Seven Courts area don't start picking up after their dogs we will be next. We have had serious rat problems in the past. I walk my dog up and down Seven Courts almost every day and through many of the neighborhoods and I honestly have never seen so much dog waste all over the place. The problem has been getting progressively worse and is disgusting. If you want to own a dog, then be responsbile and CLEAN UP AFTER IT!!

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M. Sullivan

9:37 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

I saw the picture and thought it was the weekly O'Malley blog!

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Runymede

9:39 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

Before the Middle River Depot, at the intersection of Rte 43 and Eastern Boulevard, is razed for future development, whatever it may be, the county should begin a rat eradication program on that site before the razing. It is a well known fact that the rats escaped from the confines of the old razed GM plant on Holabird Avenue, which is why the city and the county have a serious rat infestation problem today.

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Brenda Ennd

10:05 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

I live in West Inverness and I see more rats now than ever!!!
And this area was treated????

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clp

10:10 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

Parkville and Carney are awful with rats, and nothing is ever done about it

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Rosie1925

10:43 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

Really?? What areas do they see improvement in??? I know for a fact that it's not West Inverness!! We are still over ran with rats!! I have spent countless hours in my yard trying to make it look good, only to have it totally destroyed by the rats. It doesn't help that people around you don't care. There are people that won't buy the much needed trash cans, those with old junk cars in the yards and those that just don't clean up thier yards at all!! An the biggest offenders are these stupid rentals that the landlords aren't held responsible for!! So, really?? Disgusted in West Inverness!!

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CP

11:04 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

The rats come through the sewers from the city. Surrounding communities are infested. Thanks Baltimore. You dump!

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Steve

11:34 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

"The rats come through the sewers from the city."

You really believe that?

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Sanchez

12:02 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Don't be foolish CP, Steve is right! They take the bus and the light rail!

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1ke

6:55 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013

On the behalf of the citizens of Baltimore, I say you are welcome. We send them out to Rim City with our love. Say something smart, JoeBlob. Ooops, missed again.

Wendy Keller

11:54 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

Really??? It's so bad in Charlesmont that just recently a neighbor found a rat's nest in the motor of his car! They need to get back out here and "DO A BETTER JOB"!!!

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Sanchez

11:55 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

How about Rat Fishing Tournaments for the largest, the biggest teeth, the oldest etc with a bounty put on their heads. PETA can provide the entertainment.

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Runymede

8:38 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013

Sanchez.....there is no doubt that PETA will launch a campaign to save the rats from abuse and extermination.....LOL

clp

11:56 am on Friday, February 8, 2013

I have already had the county out about this. They have inspected my yard, and told me after inspection, the rats were not eating or harboring anywhere in my yard. They are just running through to the adjoining yards, where there is junk,bird feeders and firewood left laying on the ground, not to mention uncovered trash cans. These neighbors are sighted, it cleans up for a week or two, then it starts all over again. I spend a ton of money on traps and poisen, when it is not my house they "stop" at. I'm sorry but I don't want these rodents "just passing through my yard"

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Jerry Cimildora

12:08 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

We here in Logan Village were slated for treatment on Dec 3,4,5 2012. I was home each day and kept a look out for the pest company. my plan was to show the m were the rats have been seen traversing my property. I never saw a truck or personnel in my yard or neighborhood each of the 3 days. In years past the company had to verify permission to treat. No one ever showed up at my door step , not was any treatment done to my knowledge.

I walk for exercise 5 times a week bay walking and see many rats in my travels of Logan Village. If the county has paid for treatment perhaps they should obtain proof from the parties involved because they sure have not been in Logan Village and the rats are winning!

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Gladys Wooters

12:31 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

West Inverness Is Still Rat Infested. Are You Kidding Me. I Still Have My Eyes To See The Proof Untill A Rat Attacks Me & BITES My Eyes Out !!!! My Alley Is A Pig Pen!!!!! Liars!!!!

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Debbie Crowe

12:36 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Eastfield. My father and a few local neighbors still have rats digging holes in their yards. These yards are clean and homeowners are following county regulations. Please help, I am now noticing rat feces in my fathers yard by the new hole that had Been dug by shed.

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BRENDA SHAVER

1:00 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

No real improvement in Colgate and the neighborhood was treated. Many neighbors complained that they never saw anyone from the pest company either so they certainly did not inspect every yard as we were told they would! Program was NOT a success!

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Donna

9:01 am on Monday, February 11, 2013

They are now in the front as well as the back. We had the eradication and sweeps and I see an increase in rats. I never saw anyone treating my alley and I was watching for them. Come Spring, they will multiply and we will be overrun. The treatment program WAS NOT successful in Colgate.

Gladys Wooters

1:07 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Debbie The Headline Said The Rat Eradication Was A Success. We Both Know It's A Big Fat Lie. Good Luck Getting Help. The County Will Never Enforce The Pigs That Live Near You To Keep Their Pig Pens Clean. I Have Been Crying & Fighting For Years About My Pig Pen Neighbors & They Can Get Away With Whatever They Want. I Have Bait Stations & Continue To Load It With Rat Poision & Also Have A Metal Rat Trap Cage & Continue To Get Rats In My Trap. There Is More People Out Their That Love Living In A Rat Infested Neighborhood, Then Clean People Like Me & You. Sorry To Say. The Rat Lovers That Like A Filthy Yard Should All Be Made To Live Together In A Community Called Filthy Yard Rat Haven. The Clean People Need To Live Together In A Community Called Clean Living Paradise. If People Would Clean Up Their Yards & Put Poison Out All The Time & Get A Rat Trap, The Problem Would Go Away. Rat Poison Costs Money & The Dirty Pig Yard & Rat Lovers Need Their Booze & Drugs!!!!

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te

1:10 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

I follow all the guidelines and regulations, we have a rat that we have seen and estimated it to be at least 3-4lbs in size that runs around through my yard daily. We have seen its track in the snow where it is just running back and forth through the yard but not staying in my yard. there is no difference. I called the county and they told me that all i can do is file a complaint against my neighbors if i feel they are in violation of code and causing the problem, and they will send someone to check for regulation violations but they wont do anything to eradicate the problem.

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Jonathan Wilson

6:35 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Yeah right, check out the Alleys of North Point Village.

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Barbara Parkinson

9:35 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013

I live on Maiden Choice Lane and I have several neighbors who put out their trash in plastic bags every week. As I go by these bags I can see that they have been chewed on by rats or other animals. I also have neighbors who do not pick up their dogs feces or allow their dogs to dedicate any place they want without picking it up. I have seen rats in my yard during the daytime. PLEASE can't someone do something. I do not want to see a child get bitten by one of these disgusting rats.

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Donna Hilse

8:41 am on Monday, February 11, 2013

I rode down Liberty Parkway's alley last week in the evening and rats were running everywhere. I don't think they have treated that area at all, it was horrible.

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George

7:03 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

I'm convinced that Berkshire was NOT treated! I saw no evidence that any powders were put in the holes as they said would happen, and I never saw a single dead rat. After the treatment in 2011 there were carcasses showing up for weeks and barely a single live rats seen for months. Ths time, the population went up instead of down. I think the contractor ripped us off!!

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Mrs Smith

9:13 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I would like to say, there are MANYcomments stating that areas HAVE been treated and continue to be monitored and treated, for the infestation in all of the areas, IF in fact this is so, I suggest those seeing the rats, try to trap them, take them dead or alive, and cash them in to the authorities for rewards, since they are claiming to have taken care of the problem. IF in fact they want proof, GIVE it to them, Since they are spending millions on controlling this problem, surely they can afford , hhmm, lets say twenty dollars per rat turned into the department responsible. Evere heard of bounty hunters, well I guess we should try it with the rats>? MAYBE they would actualy DO SOMETHING`````````This would get those that are NOT doing their part to at least try to catch them for the money, and those that are spending so much to avoid them a sort of return for their money. WHAT A DAM JOKE, NO ONE is doing anything, or their would be some kind of improvement somewhere.As far as putting trash out in bags, GET REAL, they should be made to pay for NOT using trash cans, how stupid is that, putting dinner out for the rats``````````` ALL of this is disgusting. We have MORE vacant buildings, and unkept open establishments to feed rats for decades. The government needs to step up, give sitations, stand behind them, and CONSTANTLY patrol and control this problem.

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